PERSECUTION OF BELGIANS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8209, 5 August 1915, Page 5

PERSECUTION OF BELGIANS.

REFUSAL TO WORK FOR GERMANS. THREAT TO IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS. (Received July 5, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, August-4. The Official Press Bureau states that the Belgian Legation reports that the engine-drivers at Liege refused to work on-the steep.railway and experienced odious persecution from German, railway officials, who threatened a famine to non-workers. '". " ' At Lutre, the mechanics refused from seven to 20 marks daily, and /after several days' imprisonment wero sent to Germany, ■ amid the cheering of the citizens.. A few days later 100..0f, the men were on parade, and a German officer called out: "Let those who will .work step to the front. "Tho whole, body stepped to the rear and shouted: "Vive la Belgique!"

The Germans then arrested Kessler, manager of the Lutre works. Ho. was thrown on to some straw -in a gaol, among his mechanics, and urged to advise them to undertake civil repairs. All refusedj and 190 were then sent to Germany.

At Malines, the Germans threatened to fine the'city £10>000 if the burgomaster did not supply a list • of mechanics. No list existed, but 500 names were extracted from the householders' register, and the originals were..arrested and taken to the workshops and locked up, but they refused to work. Their wives took them food, whereupon the whole population of Malines were forbidden to leave their homes after 6 in the evening, and no one was allowed to enter or leave tho city. For some days a reign of terror prevailed. i There was a violent scene when Cardinal Mcrcier proposed to leave for Brussels.

; No single mechanics of the Central Railway resumed his work. At SwegehW 350 wire-workers : refused to supply wire, so thp: town' Svas isolated and residents forbidden to cart provisions in the streets. Workmen were driven by force into the wire factory; they still refused to work, and 60 were., sent to Oourtrai prison, and their, wives, who wore sent after tlicm, were odiously maltreated. All these efforts proving useless, a notice was then issued that a,s the workmen, tinder the pretence of patriotism and the Hague Convention, were organising difficulties, the communal authorities wpiild bo held responsible, and that present liberties would be siispended and fresh restrictions imposed.